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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · firm · fan · row · jam · land · roll · stock

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. land — ground
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — shares
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. firm — steady
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. land — to come down
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. land — a country
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — decided
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com